


off-duty

by iheardyouliketodrink



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 20:36:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10579023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iheardyouliketodrink/pseuds/iheardyouliketodrink
Summary: ‘i’m pretending to be ur bff bc u looked VERY uncomfortable with that person at the bar hitting on u’ AU (˶◕‿◕˶✿)





	

Alec wasn’t at all sure how, but somehow Jace and Izzy had together managed to convince him to join them on a night out.

Maybe they had told him that they would do some actual work, too, or maybe he really just hadn’t had any self-respect left when the offer was presented, but there he now was – sitting at the bar in Pandemonium all by himself on a Thursday night, looking over his already out-of-their-minds drunk siblings on the dance floor.

“Don’t drink too much, please. I’ll have to get you back to the institute somehow,” he’d told them repeatedly on their way there, and he’d gotten quiet hums of agreement in response but of course once they got to the club the plead was long forgotten.

Alec couldn’t fathom why his siblings were the way they were with alcohol because neither one of them needed the liquid courage to be able to charm anything out of anybody. Jace had been in his very element since the second he stepped his foot in, of course, instantly surrounded by about a dozen women, while Izzy was carelessly jumping from vampire to vampire, all smiles, swaying back and forth with her arms around their necks.

Letting out a deep sigh, the shadowhunter turned back towards the counter of the bar only to have a shot glass thrust his way, as if the universe was telling him that he would need it.

“Um, I didn’t order anything,” He said quickly, but the bartender just shrugged and went back to mixing up other drinks.

“I did,” A female voice said, and a second later the empty bar stool beside him was occupied by a relatively tall blonde woman with lipstick so bright it could be seen from outer space. “You don’t drink? That’s a pity.”

“No, I don’t,” He answered dismissively, pushing the glass back just slightly. “I’m kind of like the designated driver for my siblings right now.”

The woman laughed, throwing her head back just enough to make her golden hair sparkle under the flashing lights of the club.

“That’s not a thing, now is it?” She asked and took a sip of the pink beverage in her hand. “Like, mundane driving? You don’t do that, do you?”

Alec furrowed his eyebrows. “No.”

“Whew!” The girl exclaimed, throwing her hair over her shoulder before focusing her piercing blue eyes back on Alec. “You’re cute and everything, but that’s something I just can’t get down with.”

Alec hummed in acknowledgement despite his confusion, looking down at his feet, starting to think of creative ways to get out of the situation – preferably as soon as possible. It was tiring enough being stuck in a nightclub predominantly favored by downworlders, but having to deal with unwanted flirting was a level up on a game he wanted no part in.

Just as the girl started talking about how she’d ended up there tonight, Alec felt a hand squeezing his shoulder.

“Ah, Tessa! I see you’ve met my friend, Alexander.”

“Magnus! I guess, yes! Um- “ The girl, Tessa smiled exaggeratedly widely, finishing her drink.

Alec slowly turned to look to his side, and the sight greeting him left him so close to breathless it was terrifying.

Magnus let out a light, careless laugh, and the golden specks of glitter scattered over his cheekbones caught the light in a way that made his entire face glow. The same glitter reached his collarbones and chest as well and Alec quickly convinced himself that he wouldn’t have even noticed such a thing if the man’s shirt hadn’t been mostly unbuttoned.

Magnus made some remark to Tessa about who Alec could only assume were the group of friends she’d come in with and then turned towards him.

“Alexander, why are you out here all by yourself? I told you that you would get eaten up.”

Alec turned to look from the girl toward his new apparent best friend. “Oh, uh-“ He tried to remain coherent despite being faced with Magnus’ dark, shimmering eyes, finding them nothing short of incredibly distracting and failing miserably. “Yeah.”

Magnus raised his eyebrows slightly, a balanced blend of sympathy and amusement appearing in his eyes, adding yet another dimension to his already layered presence.

He slowly turned his head towards Tessa once more, scrunching up his nose. “It’s his first time here. I told him that our friendship would survive even if he never wanted to visit here, but he is so persistent…” Magnus winked at her.

“Sure,” Tessa said chipperly, letting herself down from the bar stool effortlessly despite her eight inch heels. “Well, I’ll be on my way now, my friends are probably looking for me. Have fun!”

Once the girl had disappeared into the mass of dancing people and Magnus was certain of it, he groaned and sat down on the stool she left vacated. “I’m so sorry about that. Poor Tessa is so sweet, but she doesn’t have a gaydar to save her life,” He said, grabbed the shot Alec had rejected earlier and chugged it down in one fluid move.

Alec stared – gaped more like it, at the man, not knowing what to say. He didn’t know how to sit, to act. Hell, he barely knew how to breathe anymore, so he certainly didn’t know how to respond to Magnus’ words regarding his sexuality.

Most of the things he came across in his everyday life were cold and gruesome or just boring – routine, order. Magnus, however, was the total opposite of all of that. His entire exterior screamed spontaneous and radical and in some odd, startling way, warm.

Alec shook his head almost unnoticeably, willing for his brain to function even just the slightest bit to have a somewhat articulate conversation with the gorgeous stranger in front of him.

“Uh, how do you know my name?” He ended up asking.

“Oh I’ve met your sister several times. She’s a delight. We’ve gone shopping together on accident more than once.”

Of course, Alec thought. Izzy knew all the beautiful, glamorous people on the face of the earth. He should’ve known to expect that.

“And you’re… Magnus Bane?”

“You say that like you have barely heard of me before,” He commented with a hint of a smile, turning to look at Alec. “And here I was thinking you were a Lightwood.”

“Well, I- My parents don’t exactly love downworlders, but…” His already quiet words were faded out by the music, but Magnus let it be.

The shadowhunter was obviously not in his element where he was, and so the discomfort that exuded off of him was understandable. Something about it made Magnus feel like he needed to just take his hand and get him far, far away from the place.

“That is not for you to worry about,” He assured simply, stirring his drink with the tiny plastic stick in the glass.

“Thanks for, you know-” Alec vaguely gestured towards the chair Magnus was now sitting on with his hand and then to the dance floor, where his siblings were still fully enjoying themselves, drinks in hand.

Magnus let out an amused chuckle, nodding his head. “I heard her call you cute. That is an atrocious understatement. I only do what I have to.”

Alec chuckled as well, mostly out of disbelief, ducking his head as he felt the blush creeping in to color his cheeks a faint pink.

Before Alec could get his brain to stop short-circuiting enough to form some coherent response to Magnus, Izzy stumbled over to them and landed on Alec’s lap.

“Alec, do we ever have to leave? I love this place, Magnus, you’re just the best!” She giggled, making Magnus laugh in turn.

“Touché, my dear.”

Alec stood up slowly, looping an arm around his sister’s waist as he did. “I don’t want to be a buzzkill, but you’re going to die of alcohol poisoning if we don’t leave soon and you are not dying on my watch.”

“Big brother, you’re always a buzzkill,” Izzy remarked, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. 

“I agree to disagree, Isabelle,” Magnus winked, setting down his empty martini glass with delicate fingers. 

This was the moment Jace decided to join them, grabbing Izzy’s hand and lifting it up triumphantly. “I just got like five phone numbers. I’m never going back to the institute.”

Alec turned to look at his parabatai, his eyes comically wide. “Okay, no. We’re leaving right now.”

The warlock chuckled softly. “Goodbye, Alexander.”

“Yeah, bye,” Alec kind-of smiled at Magnus before turning around and allowing Jace to grab his arm as they went if only so that he could be sure that he was actually following.

That smile of his took mere seconds to fade, and even drunk out of her mind Isabelle looked up at him and saw just that.

“Hey, don’t you worry, big brother. I gave him your number the first time I met him,” She said with a warm grin.

Alec glanced at her, thinking of questioning her words for a moment before realizing that there was no way she was lying. He also thought about scolding her for it, but the smile tugging at the corner of his lips gave him away before he could.


End file.
